Hope it is appropriate to ask for brand specific "Gasser pics". Hope to start collecting parts to put one together over the winter and am looking for information as well as pics of others who have a 62-65 B Body Gasser in the stable. Load 'em up and lets see them.....
Let me be the first to say, don't over do it. It shouldn't look like a Roth Wierd-O model. Good luck. Sold my 64 a few years back. Here's a couple pics
In the name of all things holy please do not use 62-65 B-body mopar and 'gasser' in the same sentence. That is a bitchin' 64 Dodge^^^^ with an extremely tasteful straight axle swap. A big ass dana 60 with a chrome cover is also beautiful. As are the 8" cragars and slicks.....
As a big fan of early B bodies. I really don't understand the current fascination with tearing out the torsion bars and sticking an ill handling straight axle under them. Mopar Collector's guide featured a couple last year, that while the work was well done, the cars look almost undrivable. I dont remember a lot of early B bodies being fitted with straight axles back in the sixties and seventies. The altered wheelbase cars had torsion bars up front....
Big Bad Dad the factory cars had torsion bar, but many privateer or home job AWB conversions sure did use straight axles. HOT ROD even had an article on putting a tube axle under a B body. And whens the last time you drove a properly set up axle car. Mine drives just fine.
So what exactly is the purpose of switching to the straight axle? Is it lighter? Two torsion bars and four control arms shouldn't weigh any more than a straight axle and two leaf springs, should they? And you could jack up the T bars if you want the nose pointing up. I guess I fail to see the point of the straight axle swap. Sounds like a lotta work for little or no gain to me. I remember back in the early/mid seventies seeing a few cars running on the street with straight axles. Seems they were usually Fords from the early 60s, Falcons to Galaxies. I do not remember any Mopars, and the only GM seemed to be early Chevy II's.
Who cares...he likes the look so let it be! Maybe its not 100% historically correct for the Pro cars but its certainly not unheard of in the lower classes back in the day! Reasons to do it? I'd say increased room in the engine compartment would be the big thing, especially for the exhaust...and with removal of the "4 control arms and 2 torsion bars", PLUS the shock towers and the K frame you would be saving weight...especially if you used an aftermarket tube axle instead of a heavier truck I beam assembly.
Those cars were originally strictly set up as Super Stock cars by the factory and a few independents until they went A/FX factory cars as Altered Wheelbase. Damn few were ever run as "Gassers"...bastardize all the Chevys and Fords you want, but leave the Mighty MoPars alone!
No, am not trying to go for this look, going for a more subtle look like the first pic of the 64 posted by 210. Would never be able to register something like this around here. My wagon has its original paint but previous owner covered up some exposed metal with the red primer in some spots and I like the patina it's exhibiting. Thought I could add some character to it by adding a straight front axle, some ladder bars and dump in my dual carbed in line 413. Just wanted something different and was looking for options. Nothing extreme, just something different without breaking the bank. Thanks for the responses....good and bad!!
I'm running a 413 in a 69 Super Bee, I dropped it in for the summer while I rebuilt the 383, I'm considering keeping it in, this thing pulls hard, great motor.
These cars are unibodies. The shock towers are part of the inner fender panels and the unibody structure. The K frame is what the engine mounts to, so how is that eliminated? If you look at all these pics posted on this thread, I think you will see the K members still in place, and the majority of the cars shown do not have straight axles but have the T bars cranked up.
Check out the For B Bodies Only site. They have a section for the early B Bodies. From stock to AF/X and in between. Cars with and without k frames and torsion bars.
Seriously???? From that response its obvious that you're much more of a purist than I am. ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with that! These cars are beautiful in stock form and really don't need much to be awesome rides today. Straight axles or Altered wheelbase cars are not an improvement over stock bodied at all to me....BUT, if someone wants to do either....in my mind....its entirely up to them and they shouldn't get shot down for it! Will it handle as good as or worse than original? That actually could go either way depending on multiple factors including intended use. It's the OWNERS decision and he has to live with it...not ours. I personally don't like the altered wheelbase cars, except as a restored racecar or something. The novelty has worn completely off now that there are so many getting built for street use. They were build for function on the dragstrip originally and beauty wasn't a remote consideration. Jacked up cars (T bar or straight axle) can look good (look at the blue one and others in this thread!) as long as they are done with taste. These cars are not immune from being built for fun over historical correctness you know!!! They aren't THAT important...thank God. I'm building a 4 door 63... Thats not a correct historical build if you want to be picky! Who the hell ever built up a 4 door Dodge back then!?!? Maybe the Police force or some demented Taxi driver? hahaha As for the structural aspects of eliminating the K frame etc....lets face it: YOU'RE not really interested in knowing how....and I'm not in the mood for all the typing!
I never question what someone else wants to do their stuff. Figure its their money that they put on the line and they can do with it what they want. One always takes the risk of getting criticized when posting on public forums and I knew this when I posted but I wanted some opinions so thanks for all that posted the pros and cons of my idea. I'm sure there will be more and look forward to ongoing feedback as well as addtional links, I've saved the ones that have been shared so far. Thanks,
This looks a lot like the car I just bought?. I have a 63 Hemi 330 and have been chasing this car for a while.... 1964 Dodge Polara Period Perfect Race History & Completely Re-Done for the Street Dodge Polara . Streetable Nostalgia Drag Car: 1964 Dodge Polara this car is "period perfect." It remains streetable but looks ready for grudge night with street M/T slicks and narrow front wheels. The car remains tame enough to be usable by not going overboard with gasser modifications. The look is right and the condition is impressive, originally modified in Detroit for drag racing, car has been kept to the same specs as when it was raced back in the 1970s. Hemi style hood scoop, Straight axle front end from a Dodge A100, front inter fenders removed for weight savings. Front wheel disc breaks conversion, Dana 60 rear-end from a 1968 B-body style car. Cragar S/S wheels front and back. Auto Meter Tachometer w/shift light. Power Steering, new pump & reservoir, Auto meter gauge package, oil, water temp, amp & volts, Engine: Builder #1: Vince Impastato (Impastato Racing Engines) has a fresh teardown w/new crank, seals, bearing & rings, Block: 440Cu.In. Bored .30" Crank: 4340 Forged steel crankshaft, radiused journal fillets, chamfered oil holes Rods: forged rod beam and rod cap separately (a two piece forging) ARP bolts, Pistons: TRW forged 6-pack replacement, true 10.5:1 CR, Cam: Mopar Performance Purple shaft hydraulic .484" lift .284 Deg duration, Heads: Stock 906 castings with 3-angle valve job, new valves, rockers & shafts, Hilborn Electronic fuel Injection System, ceramic coated manifolds Fast FXI ECU electronic computer w/Fast dual sync distributor, Fuel pump all braided fuel lines w/filters & regulator, Stainless steel 18gal fuel tank in trunk w/all AN fittings, Injectors 42 lb/hr (12 OHM) Map sensor, Air charge temp sensor, water temp sensor, Fuel pump harness kit, Main harness, Injector harness kit, IPU harness all professionally installed (11K) invested. MSD 6 controller, MSD blaster coil, Lightweight gear reduction starter, Optima Red top battery located in trunk, Transmission: Builder: Atomic Transmission, 727 Torque flight w/shift kit and reverse manual valve body, Converter: 2800 stall, recently overhauled with Hurst shifter, Exhaust System: Builder: Greg Carney, Fender well headers: custom 2" stainless primary, 4" collectors, Ceramic coated, Pipes: dual 3" stainless steel, Mufflers: Flow master 40 series stainless steel, outlet just fwd of the rear axle, QTP electric cutouts on 4" collectors, remotely activated, Rear Axle: Dana 60 out of 1968 B body, stock width w/snubber, Gear: 3.92:1 traction lock, Axles: Stock, Springs: super stock multi-leaf, Shocks: Air adjustable, rear tires M/T 28.11.50.15.
From my experience the old "ill- handling axle car" adage is totally false and most likely from a lot of hack jobs done by guys who didn't understand suspension and steering geometry. My car handles much better and goes straighter with axle over A arms any day. And if you need more proof just as ShakeyPuddin.
I guess he wants a straight axle, if you don't that's your choice. I like to see different cars and different builds. I have a 3 hot rods and I am sure there are people who would not like how I built them. ask me if I care?
Build the car you want. You will enjoy it. There will always be people with opinions. I just bought a 65 belvedere 1 street strip car. I also have a 1964 Falcon Sprint and a 30 ford 5-window coupe with a chevy small block. Got your choice at my house!
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